RELEASED YESTERDAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 143, 19 June 1931, Page 5

RELEASED YESTERDAY.

IMPRISONED TO-DAY. "CONVERTER" OP MOTOR CARS FOLLOWED BY CONSTABLE. "This man Is an American citizen and I think he has an exaggerated opinion of himself," eaid Mr. W. Noble, who appeared for John Edward Owens, aged 3S, at the Police Court this morning. Owens pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully converting to his own use, a motor car valued at £200, belonging to Emanuel Proctor Sharpe. Detective-Sergeant Keliy said that at 11.30 last night a constable observed a motor car, which had been reported stolen earlier in the evening, being driven along a side street in Newton. He followed the car, which stopped on the side of the street. The lights were extinguished. On looking into the car the constable found Owens with a girl. "This man only emerged from prison yesterday morning, after serving a sentence of one month for the conversion of a motor car," added Mr. Kelly. "Apparently the first thing he did on leaving gaol was to go and renew his driver's license and take another car. He has a number of other previous convictions." "It seems that the popularity of these men increases 100 per cent if they can drive a motor car," said Mr. Noble. Owens was sentenced to three months' imprisonment.